There is no logical answer to this. People will be for and against homosexual marriages. The obvious answer is to respect differing points of view. Again I do not suggest that I personally go along with the idea of mixed marriages but I cannot see that vitriolic attacks for or against will do any good to anyone. Deeper understanding and a more mature approach are essential. Thank you all for contributing please be sensitive to those with a different point of view.

Before you close this thread: I have read the posts, and found the debate fascinating. There have been some sound and reasoned arguments, some less so. I wonder how many (if any) of the participants are homosexual. (That is a rhetorical question).

It was fascinating how quickly the debate veered from the original question about homosexual marriages being against nature's law, wandering through the questions of homosexual parenting, the nature/nurture debate etc.

I know this has been mentioned, but I would like to reiterate that there is no law in nature concerning marriage. Marriage is a man-made institution (and I use the word "man" in its sense of gender, simply because historically men held political and social power, and made rules and laws.)

Again, as has been mentioned, homosexual activity occurs in the animal kingdom, and has always been a feature in human life. If it had not been a feature, it would not be neccessary to make statements about it, such as appear in the Old Testament. I hold no religious brief here; I simply have an impartial interest in the commonality of religions and their origins. Neither do I conclude that because something appears in an ancient document then it is necessarily or universally true. (I do not believe that what appears in tomorrow's newspaper is necessarily true.) I should not, for example, dream of cutting of my right arm if it offended me, nor would I pluck out my eyes.

If homosexual couples wish to make a public commitment to each other, and take on legal rights and responsibilities, which is essentially what a secular marriage is, why should they not have that right? And what if they wished to raise a child? There is no law which requires the vetting of heterosexual couples to ensure they would make good parents, and I wonder whether we have any reasonable argument which suggests that caring and attentive homosexual partners cannot make a good, loving and safe home for children. (let us not fall into the old trap of confusing homosexuality with paedophilia, which is quite a different thing.)
Of course such children would be subject to an upbringing defined by the lifestyle of their parents, but so are all children. Perhaps, given the choice, some children would prefer that lifestyle to the one they currently endure.

Finally, perhaps we should consider ourselves lucky that we are in a situation in which we are able to express our views freely and openly, though hopefully in a reasoned and reasonable manner.

Hello jazz,

Is there evidence to suggest that homosexuality is less prevalent in Islamic countries? Or is it simply that it is hidden because of severe penalties? It used to be illegal in the west also, and was hidden, but I don't think the actual incidence was different.

Hi David,

I could not comment on this, because I have no statistical evidence, but there are some who claim that it is in fact more prevalent in societies where women are tightly controlled and protected.